During the next few weeks, multicultural trainer Afeefa Syeed will bring third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students from a Muslim academy in Herndon, Va., to nearby public schools to share the practices and beliefs of their holiest month, Ramadan.

Syeed and the children will present the call to prayer in Arabic, display prayer rugs and offer tastes of dates. In countless other classrooms across the country, similar efforts will be made to educate students about the time of fasting and spiritual reflection for adherents of the world's second-largest religion.

Ramadan, which likely will begin Oct. 15, depending on the sighting of the new moon, is making more appearances in public school classrooms, thanks to a series of new teacher training initiatives, an increased fascination with Islam and the assurance that schools, if careful, can educate impressionable children about religion without crossing a constitutional line.

The Council on Islamic Education, a nonprofit organization based in California, plans to release an updated version of its booklet Muslim Holidays, which was first published in 1997, for the more than 4,000 teachers nationwide who have used it.

The booklet, which contains lesson plan ideas and historical and cultural background on Ramadan and other Muslim holidays, also outlines the various state regulations governing instruction about religion in public schools and discusses accommodations that schools can make to enable Muslim students to observe the holiday.

Muslim educators note tremendous progress in education about Ramadan and Islam in general in public schools, particularly since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001  perpetrated by extremist Muslims  brought Islam into the national spotlight.

Another reason for this success, some say, is an increased general awareness in public education circles of what is constitutionally appropriate to teach about religion.

In 1995, President Clinton released Religious Expression in Public Schools: A Statement of Principles, guidelines on promoting the free exercise of religion in schools without endorsing a particular faith. The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center in Arlington, Va., subsequently launched a series of training initiatives to remind public school officials nationwide of the regulations concerning religion in schools.

Unlike the political situation, which has become divisive in some ways, the educational arena came out unscathed by increased attention on Islam since Sept. 11, said Shabbir Mansuri, founding director of the Council on Islamic Education.

Whereas Ramadan used to garner only cursory attention from public school teachers, Muslim education consultants say, interest in deeper understanding of the holiday has spiked.

They want to know accurate information, said Sharifa Alkhateeb, president of the Washington-based Muslim Education Council.

For teachers and administrators, as well as fellow students, explaining Ramadan helps the school accommodate the religious requirements of the holiday.

For example, at puberty, children begin to participate in the daily fast, which lasts from sunrise to sundown each day of the month. Many schools arrange for Muslim students to sit in the library during lunchtime so that they are not surrounded by food as they fast.

Educators cite Ramadan as a good opportunity to teach students about Islam and its practice. But teaching Ramadan in public schools has not been without controversy. Last year a federal judge said that the Byron Union School District in California could continue a three-week curriculum that emphasized role-playing exercises requiring, among other things, seventh-grade students to recite Muslim prayers.

Despite the ruling in the district's favor, the school suspended the program because of the outcry the lawsuit spawned.

Crucial to avoiding these kinds of problems, say educators, is understanding the difference between teaching and teaching about religion.

Role-playing exercises that require students to recite sacred words or imitate Muslim prayer practices simply are not appropriate.

It is a wonderful method in teaching history, but when it comes to religion, we will have to modify it a bit, Mansuri said.

Syeed, who also uses a globe in her presentation to show students that Muslims live all over the world, says her lesson plan The Seven S's of Ramadan highlights aspects of Islam that children of other faith backgrounds can relate to, like patience, peace and gratitude.

It's really just to define who we are on our own terms and make the connection with a much larger, universal aspect, she said.

It's only fair to present an alternative program showing how Christians attempting to share their view of life with Muslims in Muslim countries are beaten, jailed and for good show, a mock beheading or two.

When a teacher in a public school cannot wear a crucifix in class, how can this be allowed? This is pandering to a terrorist cult. Muslims are trying to worm their way into every facet of American life. There they will lay in wait to slit our throats.

So do Christians, but if a kid brings a Bible to class he gets suspended.

These liberals are pathetic.

Why isn't someone suing the the Herndon schools and everyone connected with this idiocy? If the liberals want a separation of church and state then they'd better have a separation of mosque and state too.

Are the muslims, or the liberals, going to tell the children how killing Jews and Christians in part of their religion?

14
posted on 10/10/2004 6:17:03 AM PDT
by Noachian
(A Democrat, by definition, is a Socialist.)

The reason liberals love Islam is that anyone who hates America as much as libs do must be ok in their book.

Exactly, since otherwise liberals are hostile to religion.

Now that said, I would have no problem with lessons about Islam, even with the demos, as long as they did Hinduism, Shintoism, Confucius, Various versions of the aboriginal American's Great Spirit, Christianity and Judaism as well. Of course that wouldn't leave much time for science reading and math.

15
posted on 10/10/2004 6:17:57 AM PDT
by El Gato
(Federal Judges can twist the Constitution into anything.. Or so they think.)

Certainly the children should see at least one of the beheadings "done in the name of Islam" and for good measure throw in some videos of Taliban executions of women and the recent hanging of a 12 year old girl in Iran who was executed for having a "sharp tongue"...that's the true face of modern Islam.

Merely another way for the Fifth Column to undermine America, and let the enemy, which is Islam/ Muslims, destroy it from within.

Coupled with massive vote fraud, this treason and sedition by liberals and liberal-demokkkRATs, will lead to another civil war for control of the courts, schools, unions and the rest of America, where this vermin hides.

This is the school where a Muslim student who is an American citizen said his allegiance wasn't to America during an interview. I believe a couple of months ago, a moderate Muslim group warned this school to tone down its curriculum because it was too radical.

Then tell them the truth about Islam. Since Islam is not really a religion but rather a cult of terrorists, they can get around the religious issue. Islam needs to be shown for what it is. It's detailed history of murder and oppression needs to be shown to children so they can see the true face of Islam.

I think a lot of secularists have baggage about Christianity and Judiasm. Most of them came from a nominally Christian or Jewish background, and they have mostly rejected the religion of their parents or grandparents. So they instinctively rebel when they hear of a "public" mention of religion. They don't have such baggage with Islam, since they have never had to reject it. Also, they flatter themselves that they are good multiculturists when they pander to a minority like the Islamists and when they oppose traditional Judeo-Christian values.

The Islamists are against Western capitalism and technology -- since the fall of communism, where else can an anti-West intellectual look to but Islamo-fascism? Therefore, they will defend and promote radical Islam.

It is funny and also sad to see how the leftists have to compromise their own progressive values just to accomodate radical Islam. Here is where multiculturism comes to the rescue. Multiculturism is a clever trick that allows one to have double standards while putting on airs of having a superior morality. Multiculturism can be used to excuse anything. That is why women are "oppressed" in America if the government does not pay for abortions, but women who are executed in Saudi Arabia for being raped are not oppressed -- they are merely participating in a unique system of values that must be respected at all costs. Because all cultures and values are equal, who are we to judge?

I also think a lot of leftists hope that if the Jihadists win, they will cut them some slack rather than cutting their throats because the left sided with the Jihadists and made their victory possible.

This would be a good idea...perhaps bring in Christian missionaries who were beaten, or family members of those beheaded for preaching Christ.

Follow up with families of murdered Zionists.

Then talk about the 'fusion of church and state' and pointedly ask when the ACLU is going to send 'missionaries' to places like Abu Dhabi, Baghdad, or Medina to spread their 'Good News' that there is no Allah.

I'm not holding my breath, though.

38
posted on 10/10/2004 7:04:35 AM PDT
by grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)

NO WAY would I allow a kid of mine to study Islam in school. I'd be the one to teach my kid about Islam. And 9-11 would be where I would start.

We should teach our children about Islam. But, don't start with 9-11. Start with Mohammad. There is plenty to learn that creates a perfect contrast to Jesus Christ. You could start with how Mohammad, while fasting, had delusional visions in a cave which he thought was the word of God. Then you can teach the orginal acts of terror under Islam as the Mohammedans attacked merchant caravans traveling from Syria to Mecca. This started the first of three Meccan wars, after each, Mohammad eliminated a tribe of Jews living in Medina. Then of course there is the spread of Islam - by the sword. When the children are a little older, they can also learn how Mohammad was a pedophile. For greatest impact, the lessons should include modern day practices of Islam in Saudi Arabia, Iran and around the world.

Using this logic, every single Spanish teacher should teach "about" Christianity and Catholocism, and English teacher should teach "about" the Protestant Reformation, the Anglican Church, the Papacy, and the American Protestant movement.

45
posted on 10/10/2004 7:13:41 AM PDT
by combat_boots
(Dug in and not budging an inch. PJihadists of the World United)

These decapitations by Muhammad are being emulated by his followers today. Islam is all about copying Muhammad's "examples" from the "most perfect life ever lived". Islam is the monkey see, monkey do religion.

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